A good roasted chicken is both the simplest meal to make and the easiest to "fowl" up. Chicken doesn’t have a lot of fat, which is why — in our low-fat, lean protein craze — it’s such a desirable food source. It’s also why chicken is easy to render a tasteless, dry mess.

Here are my tried-and-true tricks:

1. Begin by soaking the bird — about two hours for a large roaster — in a cold bath of 1 gallon of water and ½ cup of kosher salt. I like to use resealable bags meant for clothing storage, which you can find in the supermarket. They’re huge and make it easy to give your bird a bath while keeping your fridge clean.

2. When it is done soaking, rinse the bird and allow it to either air-dry in the refrigerator for a few hours or dry the skin well with a paper towel. This will ensure crispy skin.

3. Moisturize the bird. Rub your chicken liberally with olive oil or softened butter. Make certain to get between the layer of skin and meat on the breasts. This is where the chicken is most apt to be dry.

4. Some people swear by a roasting rack. I like either the beer can method, or a casserole dish that is just large enough for the chicken without it being too snug. I don’t see a need to elevate the chicken into a dry roasting environment when I am trying to keep it as moist as possible.

5. Also consider stuffing the chicken loosely with chopped onions and celery, if roasting in a casserole dish. These water-filled veggies can help keep the bird moist.

6. I always like to start cooking my chicken breast-side down. This forces the juices to pool in the breast area, which needs the most help with moisture. After a half hour, I carefully turn it over and continue cooking.

7. Do not overcook. I take my chicken out when all of the spots I’ve tested with my instant-read thermometer register 160 degrees. Remember that any protein will continue cooking after you have removed it from the oven.

8. When the chicken is cooling, turn the bird back to breast-side up in the baking pan. This redistributes into the white meat the juices that have collected on the bottom of the bird.